


there's no place like home.

by aceface



Category: American Idol RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-18
Updated: 2010-05-18
Packaged: 2017-10-09 13:19:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/87920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aceface/pseuds/aceface
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>David Cook isn't in Kansas anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	there's no place like home.

**dorothy.**

david is determined to make it, but there's nothing to _make_ in kansas. kansas is dull and grey and david spends his time feeling so fuckin' frustrated he wants to scream. (except he doesn't, of course.) instead, he just helps out on the farm and shoves his hands in his pockets and falls in the pigpen when he tries to show off to andy and kyle by walking along the top of the fence. it just sums shit up, really. it sums david's stupid _life_ up, and he's so sick of hanging around doing nothing. he needs to get the fuck out of kansas before he has to take over the farm and gets stuck there forever. he'll come back, of course, because david might be a lot of things but he's not _totally_ selfish, but he wants to see the world first.

dublin comes with him. david isn't quite sure how he feels about this -- he doesn't know where he's going and he doesn't want dublin to get lost or hurt, but he's relieved not to be on his own and it's not like he can stop dublin coming anyway. he doesn't leave a note because he knows that someone will find a way to stop him, and he doesn't want beth and stan to get upset but he's pretty sure they'll know where he's gone. (to seek his fame and fortune, of course, or just to have a good time.) he slings his guitar over his shoulder and makes sure he's got enough food to keep dublin happy and sets off.

in retrospect, he never meant to go _quite_ that far.

**the scarecrow.**

oz isn't what david was expecting, but it's cool enough, even if he did accidentally squish a witch. everyone sings a lot, which he can totally get behind, and it's somewhere that isn't kansas. he still wants to get home, though, after that twister -- he's worried about everyone back home, and he can't help thinking that maybe andy, kyle and neal might be more sympathetic than he realised. none of them want to stick around in kansas either. anyway, he's on this yellow brick road now and there's something about the air that makes him spontaneously burst into song, which. david has never been a bursting-into-song kinda guy before. he's seen _enchanted_ and he knows it just looks fuckin' ridiculous anyway.

someone joins in, and it doesn't take david long to spot a scarecrow. the scarecrow spots david too, and waves. "hey, mate. nice voice."

he helps the scarecrow down -- "call me michael, i don't feel much like a scarecrow to be honest" -- and it turns out, the scarecrow knows where some beer is, so they share a few bottles. michael's funny, which -- david didn't think scarecrows had much of a sense of humour, but apparently michael's the exception. 

"so i'm going to see the wizard," david says, after a few more beers, and michael cracks up laughing.

"the wonderful wizard of oz," he says, nudging david's arm, and it's kind of the most hilarious thing ever. david's feeling warmer than he has in a while and he doesn't hesitate to tell michael about some witch that's after him. "oh, we'll take care of her," michael says, clinking his bottle against david's. "i want to go see this wizard guy anyway; i'd like a brain."

"a brain?" david repeats, and michael looks away.

"there's this girl i know, she's called stacey. anyway, we've been talking about getting married but there's nothing going on up here, you know? i want to be able to provide for her but i don't know if i can do that with a head full of straw." michael looks downcast for the first time since david's met him, taking a long drink of his beer, and david sets his down.

"don't worry about it, we'll get you a brain," he says softly, and michael smiles.

"thanks, mate. c'mon, let's set off. we've got a wizard to see."

**the tin man.**

the boy is quite possibly the most beautiful boy that david's ever seen. not that there are many boys in kansas, and there certainly aren't any silver ones with big dark eyes. michael knocks on the guy's leg and it rings out, like metal. it doesn't take them long to find the oil can -- "oil can what?" michael says, and david cracks up laughing because he loves lame jokes -- and put two and two together.

the first thing the boy does is sing, and david maybe falls in love right then. the boy blinks at them when he realises, and his cheeks flush a darker grey. "oh gosh, sorry, i didn't mean to -- i just, i was kind of paralysed? with the whole rusting up thing, and i thought, maybe i couldn't sing. but i can!" he smiles widely and david's heart, like, grows two sizes or some shit like that. "thank you for oiling me, by the way."

"no problem!" michael says because david is incapable of _speech_. "i'm michael, this is dave. we're off to see the wizard. i want a brain," he adds and the tin man's eyes widen.

"i'm david -- david archuleta, or, you can call me the tin man. but i mean, i have a name? and i -- sorry, i wondered, can i come with you? i just, i'd like a heart," he finishes quietly, and david doesn't hesitate to say _yes_.

archie, as michael wastes no time in nicknaming him, is adorable. he has an amazing voice and tells stories about rusting up that make david crack up laughing and cause archie untold amounts of confusion. still, david can't help staring at him when archie isn't looking and thinks, as beautiful as archie is, his good nature and trusting heart (because david doesn't care what archie says, someone like that has more heart than david ever has) are even better. and there seriously must be something in the air here, because david was never this much of a pansy before.

"i just, i feel like i'm missing something," archie exclaims, flailing his arms around and causing david to duck. "because, everything's so pretty here, and i just -- want to fall in love," he says. "like in the songs."

and if it looks like he glances at david when he says that, well. it's probably just wishful thinking.

**the lion.**

david's not freaked. this is probably some coma-induced dream anyway, after that twister. he's probably, like, high on hospital medication or something. but there's still a lion and she looks pretty vicious. "um," archie says, with his hands out. "i'm kind of -- made of tin? so i don't think you want to eat me?"

"oh!" says the lion, and she backs away with her hands over her mouth. "i don't _eat_ people, did you think that? i'm so sorry, i just wanted to ask if you were okay. because you all look a little lost."

michael and archie both look at david, who seems to be the assigned leader of this journey which -- okay, yeah, he can work with that. the lion seems apologetic enough. "no, that's cool," he says, walking over to the lion with his hands in his pockets. "we're just on our way to the emerald city, actually. to see the wizard."

"the _wizard_?" the lion repeats, and she tosses her mane over one shoulder and gives them all this totally sweet smile. "do you think i could come with you? i want some courage."

"courage?" michael says. "you seem pretty brave already, lady."

"my name is _brooke_," the lion says, with a little glare. "and, well -- maybe more confidence, than courage. everyone here in the forest fights all the time and they don't listen to me when i tell them to stop. i'd just -- it'd be nice to sort that out."

archie steps over and links his arm through brooke's, beaming up at her. "you can totally come with us!" he says. "we kind of have a witch after us, but she hasn't done anything mean yet."

brooke smiles back at him, and david feels a lot happier when they all set off again.

**the witch.**

it turns out, paula isn't wicked at all (and doesn't mind that kara got accidentally squished). she was just lonely and wanted someone to talk to, and she apologises for scaring them after archie looks like he's going to burst into tears (and david nearly hits her in the face and only stops because, yeah, she's a witch but she's still female and david doesn't feel quite right about hitting girls). after david explains that the weird british wizard guy just wanted her broom, she hands it over straight away and gives them cups of tea.

they promise to stop by and see her again next time they're in town.

**the wizard.**

"so let me get this straight," cowell says (and he wasn't a wizard at all, what a _dick_). "you," he says, pointing at brooke, "want _confidence_. is that right?"

brooke still looks a bit scared and david rolls his eyes. "i don't think you've got any room to be so condescending after you pretended to be a _giant floating head_," he points out.

cowell rolls his eyes even _harder_, which david didn't think was possible, and brooke puts her arm on david's arm. "no, it's fine. yes, i do," she says firmly, facing cowell down. "is that a problem?"

cowell laughs, but not in a mean way. "i think you've got more than enough confidence already, sweetheart, you just didn't know how to use it," he says. "i mean, look at you. you certainly haven't had any problem getting here."

"oh," brooke says, and then, "_oh._"

"if you want them to listen to you," cowell continues, "just, you know." he waves a hand at her. "act like this." he turns to michael. "and you want -- what is it now, a brain?"

"yes," michael says defensively. "i'm made of straw, remember."

"you've got brains enough to know that you need security for your wife," cowell states. "it's not brains you need at all, but a steady job. you said you can sing?" michael nods, and david thinks he sees what might've been a smile. "you should be the entertainer at the emerald city. bring your wife here."

"i," michael starts, and then stops. "thanks, mate."

"i am not your mate," cowell says, curling his lip in distaste. "and you, david archuleta? you want a _heart_?"

"um, yes please?" archie says hopefully and the amount of want in his voice, david can't even deal.

cowell laughs again, and archie's face falls and david suddenly has the overwhelming urge to punch cowell in the _face_. he stops himself, though, and instead he just watches while cowell leans forward and whispers something to archie. "and you, david cook. you want to go home." he smirks. "you've been able to all along. just wake up."

"wake up?" david repeats, incredulously.

"yes, wake up. think of something nice and wake up."

"but..." david can't think of something nice, all of a sudden. "i just."

"if it helps," michael says, his eyes serious, "i'll miss you."

"me too," brooke pipes up and archie bites his lip.

"um," he says, and then seems to come to a decision and steps forward to kiss david on the cheek. "the wizard told me that i must have a heart," he mumbles so quietly that david doesn't dare breathe in case he misses it. "because, i love you."

and of course, david's vision chooses that exact moment to go hazy and fade to black.

**kansas.**

kansas isn't as dull as david remembers it. beth and stan don't mind when he plays his guitar loudly and he's started up a band with kyle, andy and neal who -- it turns out -- want to see the world before coming back to the farm almost as much as david does.

still, it isn't until they play their first show and david sees a dark eyed boy at the front of the crowd that he knows things are going to be okay.


End file.
